C. 1 The Wolves of Alowez

Petyr sat on the roof of the stables after a long night of riding. He had been out checking his traps and, despite what he had hoped; the haul was less than impressive. Trapping a few fish and a rabbit, but everything else had either avoided them all together, or he had left his scent on them. Either way, he had rotated his traps and reset them for the next night. He enjoyed being out at night. The moon, high and full in the clear sky, provided plenty of light, so there was no need for torches. No one dared to venture out at night, even on a full moon such as tonight. It didn't bother Petyr in the least. Just himself and the moon, even better in his opinion. Still, there was something on the wind that didn't feel right. Even as he tried to relax after his evening out, there was something about it that sent him on edge as he listened to his surroundings, tilting his left ear as though it would help. Everything was quiet. The only noise came from the rustling of the branches on nearby trees, caused only by the gentle breeze that graced his face. Shaking off his feeling of unease, Petyr lay back, folding his hands under his head for support as he gazed up at the moon. Bathing in its glow, letting his eyes slide closed. Everything was fine, as it always had been in their part of the world. In the still of the night, while everyone else slept, he imagined himself as the only one in it.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Willow estate, Aramis had been roused by his little sister.

"Ara, I'm thirsty." Young Nyx pawed at her brother's hand. When he didn't rouse, she crawled into his bed and shook his shoulder. "Ara, please. Ara."

With a groan into his pillow, Aramis pulled the blankets off and turned to her. "Yes, little sister. I'm awake." Aramis didn't mind his sister's late night visits. Between drinks and nightmares, he was always willing to take care of her. Frighten any terrifying beast or monster away that lurked in the shadows. Sliding from his bed with a groan and grabbing her hand, he looked down at her feet. They were bare and certainly cold on the old stone floors. "Nyx, where are your slippers?"

Nyx didn't listen. Jumping to the floor, she giggled. Pulling on her brother's hand, it did little to move the boy. She tried to gain a footing as she spun to the door. "Ara come on!"

Allowing her to pull him along, Aramis followed his little sister. Their home was quiet, still, and left him to believe even the guard had retired for the evening. They were nowhere in sight, not even the feeling of one in the shadows. The halls were dark and void of any life that should have been there. In the places of the men stood candles dimly lit along the walls. Their glow only reaching a foot at most before giving way to the old walls of his home. Though they were overpowered by the moon's rays, the higher the windows became. Shrugging it off, he just wanted to get Nyx her drink and go back to bed. The concern of there being no guards didn't bore that deep for him as they walked into the main part of the house. Moonlight was flooding the main foyer in a cold light that only seemed to excite the little girl in front of him. The light tapping of Nyx's feet and his own were the only noise that he could hear. He felt a cool evening breeze that stirred his senses. The night was still, the inhabitance fast asleep in their beds. Only their own forms were too stubborn to remain asleep at this hour.

When Aramis' arm went slack, then tight once more. Turning to his sister, it puzzled him why she had stopped. Looking at her feet, she looked cold. "Nyx, what is it? Are you feet too cold? Here, let me carry you."

Nyx seemed to forget everything as she stared up at the moon. Giggling, she let go of her brother's hand and ran to the window; her small feet tapping excitedly. "Look how big it is!" As soon as she had finished, she was off again. Running down the polished stone hallways to the courtyard. Giggling the entire time, she didn't seem to mind the change from polished stone to rock and dirt. Spinning in the middle of the courtyard to find the moon clearly again. Tripping, she caught herself and ran toward the stables. The moon sat just above it, bathing it in a white glow that made Nyx feel full of energy. Her feet digging into the ground beneath her, she couldn't reach it fast enough.

Slowing from her run to a walk and eventually coming to a stop, Nyx looked up at the moon in wonder. Holding up her hands, she giggled once again as she caught the moon. She was so engrossed with what she was doing that she didn't hear the shrill whinny of a horse until it was too late. All she could manage was a silent scream. Her eyes squeezed shut as she felt something slam against her, forcing her to the ground as the pounding hooves barely missed her. Realizing that she was safe and not crippled or dying, Nyx turned to face whatever had rescued her. Ara's worried expression looked her over as he sat her up.

"Damn it! Nyx, are you hurt?" He looked her over with anger and fear, both showing in a twisted, desperate expression. "You need to watch where you are going. It nearly killed you!"

Tears filled her eyes, a sudden realization of what could have happened filled her mind entirely. Falling against her brother, it didn't take long before she was pulled up and away from Aramis and forced against another body. Dirt and sweat filled her nose, Petyr.

"What happened? Why are you out here?" Petyr pulled Nyx away from him and looked at Aramis. Fury was behind his golden eyes and in his voice. "Well? Answer me."

Breathing heavily, Aramis had turned in the direction that the horse and rider had gone. "We were getting a drink of water. . . when Nyx saw the moon. Why is mother leaving?"

"Mama?" Nyx whimpered, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sobbed. "I want mama!"

Shushing his little sister, Petyr pressed her face to his chest to quiet her fit. He looked to his younger brother, to the road leading away from Alowez and back. Swallowing hard, he turned his attention to the girl in his arms. "Nyx, why don't we go find Ruby? Did you leave her in bed again?"

"She wanted water." Aramis offered. "Petyr why-"

"Well, let's go get a drink, then go find Ruby. How's that?" Petyr interrupted as he gently kissed his sister's hair, turning back to the cold stone structure they called home.

After getting a drink and finding Ruby under the bed, Nyx finally curled up with her toy as her tiny hand rested in the rectangle of light spreading over her blankets. "Papa always says that the spirits watch us from the moon," Nyx mumbled with a smile on her face as she fell back asleep. Despite the commotion of the evening, with his words of reassurance, Nyx had quickly calmed down.

Aramis had trudged behind his brother the entire time. He was awake now and Petyr didn't expect him to leave anytime soon. Tucking her in, Petyr kissed Nyx's forehead and slowly lifted himself from the bed. Making sure his sister's door was closed tight, Petyr turned to his brother. The boy in front of him had questions piled behind his eyes. Questions that he had no answers to. "Go back to bed, little brother. It's late."

"Petyr, we have to go get father. He needs to know-"

"Know what?" Petyr spat. "That his youngest children were wondering around unattended? That perhaps that wasn't mother, and you are mistaken, would seem more plausible at this time of night. Why would she be out here? You saw nothing Aramis. Go back to bed." Petyr hesitated, looking at his brother, searching his face for any hint of defiance. Sneering, there were several choice words he could give and actions he could take should he have to. "Good night, little brother. I will see you at breakfast." Was all he managed before turning on his heel and going back to his room. His evening ruined by the sudden upheaval.

Wondering aimlessly around the old estate, Petyr had every intention of going to his room, falling into bed and forgetting tonight happened. However, he now found himself well past his room and instead in front of his oldest brother's door. Mikal wasn't there. He hadn't been for some months now after his marriage to Emelianna. He was now the new Lord of Ashwyrm. A promising land laying at least a three days sail on fair waters across the Pollock Sea. His door was ordinary, made of deep brown wood. However, there had been multiple scars placed on it over the years. These rooms had belonged to someone else before they were Mikal's and even again someone before that. The estate had been in the family for generations. The family lineage was hidden away in the old library in a massive old book. Petyr never went through it. He simply believed that his family had come into their lands and struck a handsome amount of luck. Otherwise, it was just an old house with fields as far as the eye could see for crops and livestock, a river and forest for hunting and fishing. Their father had taught them all how to fend for themselves in these environments. Nyx had even learned certain things that girls her age usually wouldn't even have to lay eyes on.

However, when he found himself here, Petyr could only think of how he used to bother his elder brother. How he would ask him to help with his sword techniques, hunting grounds and even girls when it came time. Placing his hand on the wood, it was oddly warm and shifted under his touch. Taking a step back, Petyr unsheathed the sword hanging from his side and, using the tips of his fingers, he opened the door further. It swung silently on its hinges before coming to a stop. It was dark inside save for the light peeking from behind the curtains hanging over the large window across the room. The inside of the room got stuffy as the winter months had come and gone, giving way to spring and its unforgiving heat. He took the first full step into the room. Nothing happened. Moving slowly across the room, Petyr walked back and forth, constantly turning as if expecting something to spring up from the shadows.

Shaking his head, Petyr sheathed his sword and scoffed to himself. Nearing the far end of the room, he stood under the heavy curtains for a moment before pulling them open. Instantly he was bathed in the moon's cold silver white light. He looked at his reflection in the glass. Already his face was scared and bared the evidence of battle. A deep pink line that ran across the bridge of his nose, under his left eye and into his cheek. Thankfully, his beard had started to come in. Unfortunately, he looked horrible with facial hair. Despite being the only one in the family being nearly milk white by comparison, he also seemed to be the only male in decades that couldn't pull one off. The portraits he had to pass every day told him so. Sneering at the reflection, the scar rose and fell as he unlatched the window clasp. The moon was barely a sliver around the estate through the window, but the glow was intense regardless, easily lighting up the rest of the room the moment the curtains were pulled. As the window swung open, he took a deep breath in through his nose and held it in his lungs until he felt they would burst. Letting it out slowly through his parted lips, he felt a fresh charge run through his body and into the soles of his feet and tips of his fingers before shooting back to the center of his chest.

Blinking rapidly a few times, Petyr turned his attention to the room behind him. There had been little left behind. Some papers, books and a painting that Nyx had made for Mikal sat on the desk. Perfectly placed in the middle, as if on purpose. Picking it up, Petyr smiled at the mix of colors created by his baby sister. Turning it over, she had written in messy writing her name and a message of affection. When it had been presented to Mikal, the paint was still wet, nearly dripping off of the paper itself. Regardless, he admired it and had thanked Nyx profusely for the message written in less than perfect five-year-old handwriting.

"Why would you leave this?" Petyr thought aloud as he turned it repeatedly. The desk underneath was bare. No notes of any kind had been left. At least none that would have lasted in the clutches of some crazed servant. Another trait that his siblings seemed to have; they were loved by all those around them. Either for their looks, charm or otherwise, it never failed while Petyr himself was often overlooked. Even by those closest to him.

A small glint of light blinded him for a moment, breaking him from his own thoughts. A dangerous place to get lost in. Narrowing in on the source, he turned his head to the side and squinted as he picked up the small quicksilver figurine. A wolf, its mouth opened in a bitter snarl, stared back at him. They had given a set of three to the boys of Alowez. The three wolves, as they had been called after their father. The boys excelled at any obstacle thrown their way; politics, battle, skills both inside and outside the walls of the estate, reaching the castle of Sobell and beyond. They had been groomed to do as their father asked, marry and secure their foothold on any land they could. This was no different for Nyx. However, they were determined to have her live a somewhat normal life for as long as possible.

Mikal had clarified that no matter what happened, they would protect her and handed round the figurines after they had been alone. Always one to speak before thinking and acting on his impulses, the snarling wolf had been gifted to Petyr. Another he vaguely remembered was standing firmly on all four paws, ears forward and tail down in full attention to whatever it was going on around him. This was Aramis. The third, either a proud lone wolf or a pathetic one, stood with its head raised to the sky in a permanent howl. His tail had wrapped around his hind legs, not in defiance or much else, as Mikal had claimed.

Petyr had been the only one that read further into the small figurines than his brothers had. Still, as he looked at the desk, it was bare of the little figurine that belonged to Mikal. Instead, what Petyr looked at in the cold light streaming from the open window was another figurine altogether. A bear. An ordinary bear whose mouth was open wide and was snarling or yawning. Squinting his eyes at the small thing, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"Petyr, what are you doing in here?"

Petyr nearly jumped out of his skin as he clutched the figurine in his hand. The drunken rasp of his father was familiar as of late, an extended celebration of what was to come. What they had already set in motion.

"Father, sorry. I was just having a moment of. . . remembrance?" He roughly finished, wondering to himself why he hadn't heard the man.

"That is all well and good, but come out of here." Lord Willow stood just inside the door, which stood wide open now. "You know how Mikal is about those going in his room." Waving Petyr close, he hurried him out before slamming it shut and locking the door behind them. Putting the key in his robe pocket, the lord placed a hand across Petyr's shoulders as he continued. "I have a task for you. It will involve watching of a sort."

"Watching or stalking father?" Petyr didn't dare brush the man's hand off. Though his breath could rot the ground beneath their feet and his walk seemed to stagger, his hands never faltered this close to someone's neck. Then again, whatever the man said, he wouldn't take it to heart. Just entertain him for a time.

Stopping in the middle of the hallway, they were alone in the near dark. His father stayed quiet for a time, however, to be sure before he pulled them over to a dying torch along the wall. Resting his hand firmly on his shoulder now. The man made sure Petyr was looking at him undistracted before he spoke again. "Your sister will need to be kept under close guard. Monitor her, don't let her get into any trouble in the coming years. There are things, plans made, deals dealt, that you do not understand yet. I will reveal it in time." He stopped here, looking Petyr over carefully once again. Clapping his hand on his son's left cheek, lord Willow stood to his full height now. He was several inches taller than Petyr, his head level with the torch on the wall next to them.

Pressing his thumb into the scar along his cheek, he sneered down at the boy. "Do not fail me in this. Keep her safe, protect her by any means necessary. You have my blessing in this, now and always."

Petyr only nodded. The request was odd, however, the message along with it was more bothering to him. What did that mean? He wanted to ask questions, demand answers, however the pressure applied to his face was reaching a point where there would surely be a bruise. "You have my word both as your son and as one of your wolves. My sister will not come to harm."

He had no intention of letting Nyx out of his sight for some time. If she was half the troublemaker he was growing up, he already knew he had his work cut out for him. He would help to guide her, but he would not smother her. Having one child that followed their father's orders blindly was one thing, but having three of them would not happen. At least not if Petyr could help it. He would reach out to their uncle Richard. A man who had his own armies and naval forces, the ways he had obtained them were rather hazy, leading to discord between him and his brother, their father. He might have seemed over the top in the retelling of his adventures of far-off lands and peoples of odd origin. Still, he had more knowledge and outside opinion than anyone else Petyr knew. He nodded his reassurance before dismissing himself and going straight to his own room.